The Slimming World story Slimming World was founded in Alfreton, Derbyshire in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell, who remains the driving force behind the company today. Margaret had struggled with her own weight since childhood and she understood that people who are overweight carry a double burden - the physical burden of excess weight and the sometimes far heavier burden of shame and self-criticism. "Over the years, so much has changed - and so much has stayed the same. Our founding principles haven't changed. There's Food Optimising - our uniquely satisfying way of eating, based on the liberating concept of Free Food. And more importantly, there's our passion for treating every member with genuine care, empathy and respect - putting them and their success at the heart of everything we do.